At long last, the Animalia Halloween Exposition and Carnival had finally started. There were lots of fun things to do for all ages. Because of all the new and returning attractions, it was more like a temporary Six Flags theme park than a world exposition, but that was to be expected.
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The ticket/information booth was less like a booth and more like a travel office from the land of the dead, at least according to Grim Fandango. The man who was playing Manny Calavera and selling the tickets and maps was actually doing a pretty good approximation of the kinds of questions asked of newly arrived souls, at least to Heather, Jeremy, and Polly's ears:
"Well now, Miss Heather, what are you supposed to be?" asked "Manny" as Heather took her seat on the floor, the seat commonly used being too flimsy for Heather to use.
"I'm the Indominus Rex from Jurassic World." answered Heather, not really ashamed to admit it.
"So, did you improvise on your scale patterns before coming here?" asked "Manny", seeing the patterns of phosphorous paint on Heather's scales.
"I drew it myself." said Polly, proudly.
"Well then," said "Manny", turning to Polly briefly, "You certainly have plenty of time to practice before getting into the Art Museum that's planned for construction next year." Turning back to Heather, he continued, "Did you kill much during your past lifetimes?"
"Only when I got hungry." Joked Heather.
"It certainly shows." replied "Manny", causing Heather to notice again the slight belly pudge she had gained since coming here. Her "keeper", Tyra (Heather still didn't feel ready to call her anything other than Grandmother) was the first to notice it, and had started riding her tail, so to speak, about getting healthier. But "Manny" didn't go any further than that.
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"Now, here are your maps, tickets, and complimentary walking stick with imbedded compass so you won't get lost on your four day journey to a better afterlife." finished "Manny" after several more questions, seemingly inspired by the game he was being the character for Halloween for, after handing the package. "Now remember, 'Indominus', if you get loose, your mad scientist friend is going to be feeling the heat." He said to Heather, jokingly poking at how Jeremy had decided to dress up as a mad scientist. "Now Don't forget to be at the Buena Vista Hotel's Theater of Bone to watch the Night on Bald Mountain. And, since you got a kid with you, remember to keep her out of the Slaughterhouse."
"Slaughterhouse?" asked Jeremy, incredulously.
"It's what the Meat Market is supposed to be for our celebration." explained "Manny", "Believe it or not, I've already had to bust no less than forty-seven groups of minors, varying between two and twelve people, trying to get in there with false ID's, and more than half of those groups tried to use false ID's with McLovin for the name on them."
"Why would they do that?" asked Polly in all her childish innocence.
"This is one of those things that parents would say to their children 'You'll find out when you're older.'." Jeremy said after an awkward pause.
"Now don't feel bad, Polly, but I've already had several arctic Animalians claiming to be Elsa from Frozen." Said Manny as Polly exited the door, "Now you two should move, I've got an extra special package for Emperor Nero, and there isn't enough room for both him and you two." Jeremy and Heather both laughed at that joke ('Emperor Nero', not the 'no room' part) as they exited the office.
When they were finally on the Main Street of Spookyville, Heather took a look at the pamphlet that had been slipped into the "vacation package" they were given. What it turned out to be was somehow surprising, and yet not surprising. It was a pamphlet for the "Alpha Prime Weight Management Classes". It talked about diet and exercise classes with positive motivational slogans like 'Learn to love the hide your in.' and similar ones.
"What you think about Olga's project?" asked a voice in a thick Russian accent. Turning toward the voice, they saw a large grizzly bear wearing a Russian military uniform from 'Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull', but the nametag announced his name as Piotr.
"I'm sure it's nice," said Jeremy, awkwardly, "but do you really think Heather needs it?"
"Do not know." answered Piotr, "Why not ask scaly bondmate?"
"Again with the 'bondmate' thing." said Jeremy, exasperatedly, "Listen..."
"Hey, just kidding!" Said Piotr quickly, smiling at the joke he made, "In Motherland, woman good for only one thing, WRESTLING! Unless have skinny arms, like your bondmate. Then, out of luck."
"That was from Psychonauts, wasn't it?" asked Jeremy, realizing what he was quoting from.
"Good to see people catching on." Replied Piotr, "But now I have to be moving. Olga and I are helping with security."